Frequency is measured in hertz. Which option best describes hertz?
Responses
the number of vibrations produced per minute
the number of waves that pass a certain point within a certain time
the length of a wave over a specified length of time
the distance that one cycle of a wave will travel
the number of waves that pass a certain point within a certain time
Hertz is best described as the:
the number of waves that pass a certain point within a certain time.
The correct description of hertz is "the number of waves that pass a certain point within a certain time." Hertz is the unit used to measure frequency, specifically the number of wave cycles that occur in one second.
To understand this definition and determine the correct option, it is helpful to know the following:
1. Frequency refers to how often a particular event or phenomenon occurs in a given time period.
2. In the context of waves, frequency represents the number of complete wave cycles that pass a specific point in a specified time interval.
3. Hertz (Hz) is the unit of measurement used to express frequency, named after the physicist Heinrich Hertz.
By considering the options provided, you can eliminate the incorrect ones:
Option 1 ("the number of vibrations produced per minute") is incorrect because hertz measures the number of wave cycles, not vibrations, and its unit is per second, not per minute.
Option 3 ("the length of a wave over a specified length of time") is incorrect because it describes wavelength, not frequency. Wavelength represents the distance from one point on a wave to the corresponding point on the following wave, while frequency measures how often those waves occur.
Option 4 ("the distance that one cycle of a wave will travel") is incorrect because it also describes wavelength. Wavelength represents the spatial distance covered by one complete cycle of a wave, while frequency measures the number of cycles occurring within a given time.
Therefore, the correct option is 2: "the number of waves that pass a certain point within a certain time."